Companies that provide products or services to a large number of customers need an efficient method of providing assistance to those customers when problems arise with the purchased product or service, when a customer chooses to purchase additional products or services, when a customer chooses to discontinue a purchased service, or when a customer simply has questions or information requests. Providing efficient customer service can be a challenge to large companies that provide a wide range of services to a large number of customers, such as with telecommunications companies, cable and satellite television broadcast companies, power companies, and other utility companies. Most large companies utilize call centers, or centralized offices, for handling large volumes of calls from customer with problems or inquiries. Call centers typically include a large number of work stations having computers and telephones connected to a switch that are utilized by customer service representatives (“CSRs”) to answer incoming calls from customers and render the appropriate services.
In an effort to minimize the amount of resources required at a call center, as well as to more efficiently handle customer service telephone calls, some companies utilize interactive voice response (“IVR”) systems. An IVR system is a computerized system that allows callers to select options from a voice menu in an effort to direct a telephone call to a CSR qualified to assist the customer. In this manner, CSRs may specialize in particular categories of service, improving the probability that the CSR that ultimately answers a customer's telephone call will have the skills to properly assist the customer. As an example, a customer calling a telecommunications company may be asked to press “1” for billing questions, “2” to report a problem with telephone service, “3” to report a problem with internet service, “4” to inquire about new services, “5” to discontinue a service, “6” to request a transfer of services to a new address in the case of a home or office move, or “7” for all other assistance. By utilizing this IVR system, calls are routed to the appropriate CSRs who are able to become very efficient in a small area of expertise, which presumably connects a customer with a knowledgeable CSR who is well-qualified to assist the customer.
A problem with IVR systems today is that as companies increase the number of products and services that they provide, customers are required to sort through an increased number of menus and button presses before they are placed in a call queue for the appropriate CSR. This results in a large period of time that the customers are required to interact with a computer system before they are ultimately placed on-hold for another length of time prior to actually speaking with a human being that may or may not be able to assist them. Some companies are even requiring customers to troubleshoot their problems via computer-directed instructions over the telephone prior to placing the call in a queue to speak to a human CSR. While this computer-directed troubleshooting tree, as well as IVR systems in general, are effective to filter out a number of customer calls before placed in a queue for a CSR, it is increasingly frustrating to customers who would like to speak to a human CSR and receive assistance in a timely manner.